Process for the manufacture of farnesol



Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNiTED STATES PATENT ()FFIQE-.

LEOPOLD RUZICKA, OF GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO M. 'NAEF AND CIEC, OF

PROGEss FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FABNESOL.

N Drawing. Original application filed March 19, 1924, Serial No. 760,440, and in Switzerland March 22,

This invention has for its object to provide an improved process for the manufacture of farnesol which is a sesqui-terpenic alcohol contained in a large number of essential oils. According to this improved process acid agents, such as for instance glacial acetic acid, are caused to reactupon nerolidol.

The transformation of the nerolidol into tarnesol may be represented by the following react10n: CH3\ OH 0 =CH-CH2-CHTO ennui-0H2 b- CH =oH2- CH3 H3 7H3 Farnesol may be employed as such as an odoriferous substance, or it may serve as the starting pointfor the preparation of other perfumes.

Ema mp Z6.

Divided and this nlicaticn filed october 2 1995.

Serial No. 60,117.

from a solution produced by treating the product of the above described reaction with adilute solution of caustic soda and after extracting with other the parts that have not combined with the phthallic acid anhydride, is saponilied by heating with an alcoholic or alkaline aqueous solution, and then the resulting farnesol is separated out by distillation.

Farnesol prepared by this process is a colourless oil boiling at 125 C. (0.5 mm.) of

d 20 =0.8908 and n 1.4890

having, when diluted, an agreeable and persistent odour of flowers.

Oxidized by chromic acid the so-prepared tarnesol yields a tarnesal which can be con verted into a semicarbazone identifiable by its melting point of 133 C. (M. Kersclr, baum, Berichte der Deutsch. Chem. Gessell. vol. 46, page 1732). 6

The farnesol may also be separated out by direct fractional distillation of the converted and saponified product, instead of isolating it by means of phthallic'acid anhydride. M

This application is a division oi my c0- pending application Ser. No. 700,440 filed March 19, 19242.

I claim:

A process for the manufacture of farnesol consisting in causing glacial acetic acid to react upon nerolidol.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEOPOLD RUZICKA. 

